a visit to the neighborhood

Mr. Fred Rogers, ever heard of him? Well, teetering on the 'verge' of FORTY, I grew up with the man. A seemingly simple man with such a calming voice that became for me, a routine in the early afternoons of my childhood. Everyday I was invited to the neighborhood for a visit. I don't think I realized what I was taking away.

He never preached you know...but he lived out the advice of St. Francis daily.

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words."

Everyday we were invited to the neighborhood where everyone was kind, respected and valued. What a great neighborhood. Without ever saying it, Mr. Rogers, was reminding me of Jesus' greatest command.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;
Love your neighbor as yourself"
Luke 10:27

When you arrived in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood you were welcomed! While reading this book I learned that Mr. Rogers theology was "loving your neighbor." He believed that everyone was made in the image of God AND for that reason alone, he or she was to be valued, "appreciated."

It was on page 85 of Amy Hollingsworth's book The Simple Faith of Fred Rogers, where I came upon these words.

(a reference taken from Madeline L'Engle's a Wind in the Door)
"If someone knows who he is, really knows" the cherubim explains, "then he doesn't need to hate." Fred would agree: feeling as good as possible about God's creation within us, he believed, caused us to look upon our neighbor with the same sense of wonder and worth. Then, once we are able to see the image of God in our neighbors, once we recognize their inherent value, we strive to help them become who they were meant to be. We "name" them."

They are all around us...."neighbors." Some of them, I'm sure you know...are HARD to love, and yet the lesson from THIS neighborhood today is that we MUST try. We MUST love them, hard as it may be. They are God's child and He commanded us to do it.

Loving our neighbors is no easy task, but it's in loving them that we will see transformations. Transformations in them and within ourselves.

Preaching the Gospel is what Mr. Rogers did simply....
"loving all the neighbors" who stopped by with the love of Christ...

What a wonderful neighborhood.

Come on...if you know it...and YOU KNOW YOU DO...
sing along...it just might be the reminder you need...
I know it was for me!!

"won't you please, won't you please... please won't you be....my neighbor."
In Him,

If you're ever looking for me, you'll find me in "my neighborhood." Stop by anytime...